Flag belt device with a variable pull screw-on snap-off coupling



Oct. 3, 1967 P. c. WILSON ETAL FLAG BELT DEVICE WITH A VARIABLE PULL SCREW-ON SNAP-OFF COUPLING 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 9,

FIG. 5.

FIG. I.

FIG. 2.

INVENTORS I PORTER c. wu so- NORMAN c. ADAMS FIG.3.

BY PM L ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1967 P. c. WILSO ETAL FLAG BELT DEVICE WIT VARIABLE PULL SCREWON SNAP-OFF COUPLING 1963 Original Filed Sept. 9 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 FIG. 6.

IN VEN TORS PORTER C. WILSON NORMAN C. ADAMS PM W ATTORNEY 3,345,070 FLAG BELT DEVICE WITH A VARIABLE PULL SCREW-N SNAP-OFF COUPLING Porter Carol Wilson, 320 E. Elvira Road 85706, and Norman Carlyle Adams, Box 1457 85702, both of Tucson, Ariz.

Original application Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,480, now Patent No. 3,251,109, dated May 17, 1966. Divided and this application Feb. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 536,190

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-55) I This application is a division of prior copending application Ser. No. 307,480 filed Sept. 9, 1963, and entitled, Flag Belt Device, now Patent Number 3,251,109, granted May 17, 1966.

This invention relates to a flag-tag device and more particularly to a variable pull flag-tag coupling for detachably securing a flag to a belt.

In United States Patent 2,966,356, which issued December 27, 1960, a flexible separable flag belt device for use in tag games such as flag or touch football is dis closed in detail and includes a ball and socket arrangement for detachably securing a flag to the belt of the player. One of the objects of the earlier invention, as stated in the noted patent, is the principle of maintaining a substantially constant, uniform pull to detach the flag from the belt so as to equalize this phase of the game. This is, of course, an important feature when two evenly-matched teams or age groups are playing.

The games of flag tag and flag football have become very popular and players of widely different ages participate. This makes it impossible to design a single ball and socket coupling having a standard tension and requiring one uniform pulling force to detach the flag from the belt. What might seemingly require a slight tug for an older player to detach the flag may require a great pull by a younger player, throwing him off balance and possibly causing him to fall and to be injured. And because of the added cost it is not economical to manufacture and stock specific flag tag couplings having selected coupling tensions for each of the various age groups that use flag tag devices.

Another difficulty with conventional male and female couplings such as the ball and socket arrangement disclosed in the noted patent is that when the pull-out tension is suflicient to secure the flag from being released due to accidental bumping or jostling, it is sometimes difficult to force the ball or plug into the socket, particularly for younger players.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved coupling for a flag tag device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a variable pull flag tag coupling including means for varying the pull required to detach the flag from the belt.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved male and female flag tag coupling wherein said male member or plug is deformable, permitting it to be more easily inserted into the female member or socket.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a screw-in snap-off coupling for detachably securing a flag to a belt or. mounting pad.

A further object of this invention is to provide a variable pull threaded screwdn-snap-oif flag tag coupling device including a tension set screw for selectively varying the tension on the threads.

Another object of this invention is to provide a variable pull flag tag coupling of the ball and socket type including means for varying the size of the ball and thereby varying the force required to Withdraw the ball from the socket.

These and many other objects and advantages in a flag tag coupling may be achieved in accordance with this in- 3,345,070 Patented Oct. 3, 1 967 vention which in general may include a deformable male member or plug and a female member or socket for frictionally receiving and retaining the plug. The plug may be formed as a bifurcated ball or cylindrical member which may be attached either directly to the belt or on a mounting pad adjustably secured to the belt. The socket is secured to the flag. As alternative embodiments of the invention, the relative positions of the plug and socket may be reversed.

A tension set screw is threadably received in the plug and varies the diameter of the plug and thus the pull required to remove the plug from the socket. The plug may also be provided with suitable markings to indicate the position of the tension set screw and thus the diameter of the plug and the pull-out force required to snap or jerk the plug from the socket and thus detach the flag from the belt.

Both the socket and plug are formed of a tough, wearresistant plastic material that produces a popping sound when the plug is jerked from the socket, thus providing an audible signal at the time the player is de-flagged. Resilient threads for-med on and in the plug and socket respectively permit the plug to be screwed into the socket but pulled or snapped out of the socket. This screw-onsnap-off feature permits the plug to be easily and positively inserted into the socket while at the same time assuring that the plug is securely retained in the socket.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in view of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a flag tag device in accordance with this invention secured to the waist of a player and in which a flag tag is detachably secured to an adjustable belt;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of an adjustable mounting pad through which the belt is passed and from which a deformable externally threaded male member 'or plug projects, the plug having a tension set screw therein;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the mounting pad taken along the lines 33 in FIGURE 2 illustrating the plug and tension set screw in greater detail;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of an internally threaded socket adapted to be screwed on and snapped off the plug and to which a flag is attached by means of a cinch washer and stud;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the cinch washer and'stud;

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the relative positions of the plug and socket members are reversed;

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention including a ball and socket coupling, the

ball being bifurcated and including a diameter varying tension set screw; 7

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the bifurcated ball shown in FIGURE 9; and

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the deformable plug or ball is bifurcated and the-socket is arranged to permit the ball to expand after insertion into the socket.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a pair of flags 11 detachably secured to mounting pads is passed, permitting the mounting pads 12 to be adjustably positioned about the waist of the player.

As shown in FIGURE 3, an externally threaded plug 17, having a central passage 18 formed therethrough is integrally formed on the mounting pad 12 and projects therefrom. A tapered tension set screw 19 which may be formed of wood or plastic is threadably received in the central passage 18 and is arranged to expand or deform the plastic plug 17 thereby varying the diameter of the external threads on the plug 17. As the screw 19 is withdrawn the plug 17 contracts because of its resilient properties.

The externally threaded plug 17 is screwed into a cylindrical internally threaded socket 21 also'formed of a tough rubber-like plastic material as shown in FIGURE 4. The end 22 of the flag 11 is looped through an aperture or eye 23 integrally formed on the socket 21 and secured by a plastic cinch stud 24 having an enlarged head which extends through the flag 11 and a cinch washer 27.

As shown in FIGURE 2, markings 1, 2, 3 and 4 are arranged on the plug to indicate the position of the tension set screw 19 and thus the thread diameter of the plug 17. As variation in the plug diameter determines the degree of frictional engagement between the threaded plug and socket, which in turn determines the pulling force required to snap or jerk the members apart, the use of the tension screw 19 provides a variable pull coupling. The markings 1, 2, 3 and 4 are used to calibrate the coupling and thus indicate the required'setting of the tension screw to produce varied and selected coupling tensions requiring determined uncoupling or pulling forces for different age groups or sizes of players.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment ofthe invention wherein the relative positions of the respective plug 17 and the socket 21 are reversed. An internally threaded socket 21' is integrally formed on a mounting pad 12 and the flag 11 is attached to the plug 17 as previously described. The plug 17' also includes a tapered tension set screw 19' for selectively varying the diameter of the threaded plug 17' and thus the pulling force to jerk it from the socket 21. Thus, by employing resilient deformable threads, the plug may be easily screwed into the socket 21 and jerked out by pulling on the flag 11 with selectively variable forces. The resilient threads formed on the plug 17' and in the socket 21 are of a tough, wear-resistant rubber-like plastic and thus firmly secure the plug within the socket, preventing accidental detachment or dropping of the flag. It is to be noted that both of the tension set screws 19 or 19' may be omitted from each of the respective embodiments of the invention and still provide a screw-on-snap-oif operation.

FIGURES 8 and 9 disclose an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein a socket 28 having a central passage 29 with a reduced mouth opening 31 is integrally formed on a mounting pad 32. The pad and socket are formed of a tough, wear-resistant rubber-like plastic material and the socket 28 is adapted to receive a defrmable, bifurcated ball 33 integrally formed on a flat buckle 34 having a loop 36 formed thereon and through which the end 22 (of the flag 11) is passed, and secured by the head 26 of cinch stud 24 and cinch washer 27 as previously described. A tapered tension set screw 37 is threadably received within a tapered central aperture in the bifurcated ball 33 as shown in FIGURE 10. The tension set screw 37 deforms the ball 33 when threaded into the bifurcated ball and thus varies its diameter. The ball is also provided with markings 1, 2, 3 and 4 that are used to indicate the diameter of the ball and thus the pull required to jerk the ball from the socket. It is not necessary that the ball 33 be bifurcated as the tapered tension set screw 37 will vary the diameter of the ball when advanced into the central ball passage.

Further, as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12 the relative position of the ball 37 and socket 28 shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 can be reversed, the ball being formed on and projecting from the mounting pad and the flag being attached to the socket. In addition, the tension set screw 37 is not employed in this arrangement. As can be observed the diameter of the bifurcated ball 33' is reduced as it is inserted through the passage 31' of the socket 28' permitting it to be easily inserted into the chamber 29 where, due to the resilience of the material, the bifurcated ball 33 expands to its original diameter, securing the flag 11 to the mounting pad 32'.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the exact structural details herein as the invention is subject to numerous modifications. Although the flag, socket and plug members are preferably formed of tough, wear-resistant inexpensive plastic material, these components can of course be made of other material such as leather, rubber or the like. Further, although it is preferred that the mounting pad be used, this is not essential as the plug or socket as the case may be could be directly formed as a part of the belt. Therefore, in view of the numerous changes and modifications that can be made within the principles of the invention, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flag tag device for detachably securing a flag to a belt comprising at least one mounting pad having belt slits formed therein for receiving said belt positioned on said belt; an externally threaded plug formed on and projecting from said mounting pad; said threaded plug being formed of a tough, plastic material; an internally threaded socket for threadably receiving said plug; and a flag secured to said socket, said plug including a tension set screw threaded therein and said set screw carrying means for varying the diameter of said threaded plug, thereby providing a variable pull screw-on snap-01f coupling.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said flag is looped through an eye and includes a headed cinch stud that passes through said flag, the head of said cinch stud being received in a cinch washer.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said fiag is secured to said plug and said socket projects from said mounting pad.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said flag is secure-d to said plug and said socket is formed on and projects from said mounting pad.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,846,224 8/1958 Roselle 27355 2,966,356 12/1960 Wilson et a1. 27355 X 2,986,396 5/1961 Abbott et a1. 273-55 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FLAG TAG DEVICE FOR DETACHABLY SECURING A FLAG TO A BELT COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MOUNTING PAD HAVING BELT SLITS FORMED THEREIN FOR RECEIVING SAID BELT POSITIONED ON SAID BELT; AN EXTERNALLY THREADED PLUG FORMED ON AND PROJECTING FROM SAID MOUNTING PAD; SAID THREADED PLUG BEING FORMED OF A TOUGH, PLASTIC MATERIAL; AN INTERNALLY THREADED SOCKET FOR THREADABLY RECEIVING SAID PLUG; AND A FLAG SECURED TO SAID SOCKET, AND PLUG INCLUDING A TENSION SET SCREW THREADED THEREIN AND SAID SET SCREW CARRYING MEANS FOR VARYING THE DIAMETER OF SAID THREADED PLUG, THEREBY PROVIDING A VARIABLE PULL SCREW-ON SNAP-OFF COUPLING. 